Outrage by Dale A. Dye

Author:Dale A. Dye
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Warriors Publishing Group

Hooterville had been relatively quiet over the past four days since his squad was assigned to Checkpoint 54, but Mallory still didn’t care for the foot patrols. The streets were narrow, constricted—bordered along many of the serpentine alleys and side streets by two-story structures that made havens for snipers. Still, he was required to show the flag at least once a day, leaving the crucial crossroads leading to BIA in the care of a Lebanese officer and his small platoon of dispirited infantrymen.

He’d gone to the chain of command about modifying the Rules of Engagement for foot patrols through Hooterville, but the platoon sergeant always came back with the same response: Don’t ask for problems you ain’t got. So Mallory and his squad walked their daily patrols with a magazine in the weapon but no rounds in the chambers. In the unlikely event you step in a bucket of shit, the platoon sergeant told his squad leaders, call for the Lebs and let them handle it.

It wouldn’t be so bad, Mallory mused as he gave the hand signal for his squad to turn right into a curiously deserted street, if they didn’t have to walk regular routes. Mallory also complained about setting predictable patterns, but he was told Marine patrols had to avoid conflicts with Lebanese Army patrols. And they never knew where the Lebs were going much less what they were doing.

As he turned to walk backward for a pace or two, Mallory scanned the roofs of the adjacent buildings. There was nothing to see but shadows and staring at shadows can play tricks with an overactive imagination. He lowered his gaze and checked his squad for interval. They were doing well. Justice was humping the AN/PRC-77 radio and could be relied on to call in the checkpoints without supervision. Deeter Dale had the M-60 machinegun slung around his neck and ready for action even though it was unloaded. Stankey should be within arm’s length of the gunner with a belt of ammo ready, but Mallory couldn’t spot him immediately. He moved up toward Rojas walking point and finally spotted Stankey. He was humping along carrying an ammo can in one hand and smoking a cigarette with the other. He was too far away from Dale and staring down at the ground like he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Stankey! Get your head out of your ass and move up.”

He was about to continue but Mallory spotted something moving furtively up high to his right. He froze momentarily, pondering whether or not to scatter his squad off the street when he saw the movement again. There was someone staring down at them from a second-story window. He watched while his squad continued to move and then decided it was nothing to worry about. Mallory was just turning to resume the march when the man in the window pulled the pin on a grenade and tossed it casually toward the Marines below his perch.

Instinctively, Mallory flattened into the mud and shouted the alert.

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